Operation Ho-Ho-Ho
by PassionatelyHiddlestoned
Summary: It's almost Christmas, and it's code red and green at SHIELD. HYDRA is spreading at an alarming rate around the world, with a top secret strategy, but Fury found just how they were doing it- dropping mind controlling presents down chimneys. Clint and Natasha are put on the job, that takes them to the North Pole to take out the head honcho, a HYDRA agent. Their target? Santa Clause.


_Operation Ho-Ho-Ho_

_It's almost Christmas, and it's code red and green at SHIELD headquarters. HYDRA is spreading at an alarming rate around the world, using some top secret strategy - but Fury found out just how they were doing it- dropping mind controlling presents down chimneys. Clint and Natasha are put on the job, that takes them all the way to the North Pole to take out the head honcho, who is also an agent of HYDRA. Their target? Santa Clause. _

Clint rubbed his chin, inspecting his living room. It was a small living space, so it's not like he had much to work with, but it looked good- for a two bedroom apartment. He had a small, Charlie-Brown-like tree in the corner, and Christmas lights strung about his walls glowing white and red and green. He smiled. Now he would settle in and listen to some Christmas music, and maybe, just maybe, he would crack out the eggnog.

He sat down, and sighed. It felt good to finally-

*Bzzz Bzzz*

Clint frowned, looking over to the table. "You're kidding me," he muttered, and answered. "Yeah?" "Boy, you sound grumpy." It was Natasha's voice, so Clint relaxed. "Oh, I thought you were Fury. The last thing I need right now is a mission, I just settled in." "Don't get your hopes up, Clint, I'm calling from SHIELD. We've got a m-" "Don't say it." "Okay, I won't."

She hung up, and Clint sighed, closing his eyes as he savoured the quiet moment of warmth and contentment. Then got up, taking his uniform out of the closet.

"It took you long enough to get here, Agent Barton," Fury said, setting his hands on his hips as the archer walked in. "He was decorating his apartment," Natasha smirked, and Clint huffed. "Was not." "Oh, come on, Clint, I know when you decorate, and you decorated." Clint rolled his eyes. "Fine, I threw a few lights up, happy Tasha? Anyway, sir, I can't help it if it's like, 900 below out there and the whole freaking population is out Christmas shopping." "Why not get a lift from Tony?" "Don't ask me that." "Don't ask him that," Natasha chimed in at the same time, and Fury just raised his eyebrow at the two.

"Whatever. You're here because of HYDRA. Happy Holidays, you two- they're on the move again." Natasha looked surprisingly relieved. "Am I glad to hear you say that, Fury. You just saved me from one of the worst Christmases of all time." "What do you mean?" Clint asked, and Natasha looked down at the sweater she was wearing. Clint's eyes widened. It was red, with an embroidered reindeer and gingerbread men lining it.

Clint laughed. "I see what you mean. Where did you get that?" "My grandma." "You have a relative that's still alive?" "Unfortunately, yes. She sends me these every year. God, they're so ugly." Clint was laughing so hard he was close to tears, and Natasha formed a fist.

"Ahem," Fury redirected their attention to the front of the room. "You've got a target to take out." "Please let it be my grandma- is it my grandma?" "No, it's... complicated." Clint narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, what's so different about this one?"

Fury looked away. "He's... not from around here." "Jesus, another Asgardian?" "No, not like that... here, but not here here. Look, I'll just tell you what your assignment is- you're taking down Santa Clause."

Clint just about fell out of his seat, and Natasha was rendered speechless. "What?!" Clint half-screamed, "You can't... you can't kill Santa Clause, that's... that's like killing Christmas!" Natasha shook her head. "What the hell is going on right now..." she mumbled as Clint ranted.

"-The Christmas spirit! What about the children! The children!" "There is no Santa Clause," Natasha pointed out, "It must be a code name for someone." Fury pursed his lips. "I would have thought the same, Agent Romanoff, but... this guy's the real thing. I mean, head honcho of the North Pole. Word is, he's secretly been working with HYDRA for years, infiltrating people's homes to get information on them."

Clint held his head in his hands. "My childhood is ruined." Natasha looked back to Fury, disregarding Clint's dramatic whining. "It'll take a month." "Do better." "Yessir. Done by Christmas." Fury nodded, and Natasha frowned at Clint. "Okay, Clint. Let's go." "But-" "Let's go, before I deck the halls with your ass!" Clint shut his mouth, and followed Natasha as she ripped her sweater off.


End file.
